RIO DE JANEIRO Amazon Indians from one of the last uncontacted tribes in the world have been photographed from the air, with a striking image showing them painted bright red and carrying bows and arrows (above).

The photographs of the tribe near the border between Brazil and Peru are rare evidence that such groups exist. A Brazilian official involved in the expedition said that many of them are in increasing danger from illegal logging.

“What is happening in this region is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna, and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the ‘civilised’ ones, treat the world,” José Carlos Meirelles was quoted as saying in a statement by the Survival International group.

“The world needs to wake up to this and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct,” Stephen Corry, the director of Survival International, which supports tribal people, said.

Of more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, more than half live in Brazil or Peru. All are in danger of being forced off their land, killed or ravaged by disease. (Reuters)

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